System and method of security enhancement in a security panel

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods of security enhancement in a security panel are provided. Some systems can include a security system and a keyfob. The security system can identifies the keyfob, receive user input identifying a valid user pass code, and transmit the valid user pass code to the keyfob. The keyfob can save the received valid user pass code, receive user input identifying a first user input mechanism, receive user input identifying a sequence of user input mechanisms, determine whether the received sequence of user input mechanisms corresponds to the saved valid user pass code, and responsive to a valid correspondence, transmit a signal to the security system with instructions to execute an action associated with the first user input mechanism.

FIELD

The present invention relates generally to security systems and methods.More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and methodof security enhancement in a security panel.

BACKGROUND

Keyfobs are known in the art. For example, known keyfobs can wirelesslycommunicate with a security system, including a control panel of asecurity system. Indeed, some known keyfobs can include a disarm buttonthat, when depressed, can wirelessly transmit a signal to the securitysystem to disarm the security system.

However, keyfobs are highly susceptible to being stolen or lost, whichcan create a dangerous situation for a user of a security system.Indeed, if an unauthorized user obtains possession of a known keyfob,then he can easily disarm the security system simply by depressing thedisarm button on the keyfob.

In view of the above, there is a continuing, ongoing need for improvedsystems and methods.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a method of configuring a keyfob with aprotected disarm button in accordance with disclosed embodiments;

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a method of disarming a security system witha keyfob that includes a protected disarm button in accordance withdisclosed embodiments; and

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a keyfob in accordance with disclosedembodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While this invention is susceptible of an embodiment in many differentforms, there are shown in the drawings and will be described herein indetail specific embodiments thereof with the understanding that thepresent disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of theprinciples of the invention. It is not intended to limit the inventionto the specific illustrated embodiments.

Embodiments disclosed herein include a system and method of securityenhancement in a security panel. For example, some embodiments disclosedherein include a keyfob that can include a disarm button protected by auser pass code.

As disclosed herein, some embodiments can include configuring a keyfobwith a protected disarm button. For example, a control panel of asecurity system can be placed in a configuration mode for a keyfobidentified by the control panel. In some embodiments, a user can provideinput to identify the keyfob to the control panel. Additionally oralternatively, in some embodiments, a keyfob can wirelessly transmit asignal to the control panel that includes identifying information of thekeyfob.

After the control panel has identified the keyfob, the control panel canprompt a user to enter a user pass code into the control panel. Forexample, the pass code can include a sequence of buttons on the keyfobto be depressed by a user. The user can save the user pass code at thecontrol panel, and the control panel can wirelessly transmit the saveduser pass code to the identified keyfob.

As disclosed herein, some embodiments can also include disarming asecurity system with a keyfob that includes a protected disarm button.For example, a user can depress a disarm button on the keyfob and thendepress a sequence of buttons on the keyfob. The keyfob can determinewhether the depressed sequence of buttons corresponds to a valid userpass code saved in the keyfob. If so, then the keyfob can wirelesslytransmit a signal to a control panel of a security system to disarm thesecurity system. However, if the keyfob determines that the depressedsequence of buttons does not correspond to a valid user pass code savedin the keyfob, then the keyfob will not transmit a disarm signal to thesecurity system.

In some embodiments, the keyfob can provide audible or visual feedbackwhen the keyfob determines that the depressed sequence of buttonscorresponds to the valid user pass code saved in the keyfob andresponsive thereto, transmits the disarm signal to the control panel ofthe security system. For example, the keyfob can include one or moreLEDs that can flash, blink, or light up upon the occurrence of suchpredetermined conditions. Additionally or alternatively, the keyfob caninclude one or more annunciators that can beep upon the occurrence ofsuch predetermined conditions.

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a method 100 of configuring a keyfob with aprotected disarm button in accordance with disclosed embodiments. Asseen in FIG. 1, the method 100 can include placing a control panel of asecurity system in a configuration mode and the control panelidentifying a keyfob as in 110. For example, a user interface of thecontrol panel can display information identified by the control panel toidentify a keyfob. Such information can include the serial number of thekeyfob, the type of keyfob, and the like. In some embodiments, thecontrol panel identifying the keyfob can include the control panelreceiving user input that includes the identifying information of thekeyfob. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the controlpanel identifying the keyfob can include the keyfob wirelesslytransmitting a signal to the control panel that includes the identifyinginformation of the keyfob.

After the control panel has identified the keyfob as in 110, the method100 can include the control panel prompting a user to enter a user passcode into the control panel and receiving user input that includes theuser pass code as in 120. Then, the method 100 can include the controlpanel saving the entered user pass code as in 130 and wirelesslytransmitting the saved user pass code to the identified keyfob as in140.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a method 200 of disarming a security systemwith a keyfob that includes a protected disarm button in accordance withdisclosed embodiments. As seen in FIG. 2, a keyfob can receive userinput that selects or depresses a disarm button of the keyfob as in 210and receive user input that selects or depresses a sequence of buttonsof the keyfob as in 220. Then, the keyfob can determine whether thedepressed sequence of buttons corresponds to a valid user pass codesaved in the keyfob as in 230. If so, then the keyfob can wirelesslytransmit a signal to a control panel of a security system to disarm thesecurity system as in 240. However, if the keyfob determines that thedepressed sequence of buttons does not correspond to the valid user passcode saved in the keyfob as in 230, then the method 200 can terminateand the keyfob will not transmit the a disarm signal to the securitysystem.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a keyfob 300 in accordance with disclosedembodiments. As seen FIG. 3, the keyfob can include a wirelesstransceiver 310, a memory device 320, a user interface device 330,control circuitry 340, one or more programmable processors 340 a, andexecutable control software 340 b as would be understood by one ofordinary skill in the art. The executable control software can be storedon a transitory or non-transitory computer readable medium, including,but not limited to, local computer memory, RAM, optical storage media,magnetic storage media, flash memory, and the like. In some embodiments,the control software 340 b can execute and control the methods fordisarming a security system as described above and herein.

The wireless transceiver 310 can communicate with a control panel of asecurity system, and the memory device 320 can store a user pass codereceived from the control panel of the security system, via thetransceiver 310. The user interface device 330 can include a pluralityof buttons or other user input mechanisms, including a disarm button. Inaccordance with disclosed embodiments, a user can select or depress asequence of the user input mechanisms, and the control circuitry 340,programmable processor 340 a, and executable control software 340 b cancompare the received sequence with a valid user pass code stored in thememory device 320. Responsive thereto, the control circuitry 340,programmable processor 340 a, and executable control software 340 b candetermine whether to transmit a disarm signal, via the transceiver 310to the control panel of the security system.

It is to be understood that although embodiments have been describedwith respect to a keyfob that includes a disarm button protected with auser pass code, systems and methods disclosed herein are not so limited.Instead, the systems and methods disclosed herein can include protectingany user input mechanism or button of a keyfob with a user pass code asdisclosed and described herein.

Although a few embodiments have been described in detail above, othermodifications are possible. For example, the logic flows described abovedo not require the particular order described, or sequential order, toachieve desirable results. Other steps may be provided, or steps may beeliminated, from the described flows, and other components may be addedto, or removed from, the described systems. Other embodiments may bewithin the scope of the invention.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations andmodifications may be effected without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation withrespect to the specific system or method described herein is intended orshould be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover all suchmodifications as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

1. A system comprising: a security system; and a keyfob, wherein the security system identifies the keyfob, receives user input identifying a valid user pass code, and transmits the valid user pass code to the keyfob, wherein the keyfob saves the valid user pass code, receives user input identifying a first user input mechanism, receives user input identifying a sequence of user input mechanisms, determines whether the sequence of user input mechanisms corresponds to the valid user pass code, and, responsive to a valid correspondence between the sequence of user input mechanisms and the valid user pass code, transmits a signal to the security system with instructions to execute an action associated with the first user input mechanism, and wherein the valid user pass code and the sequence of user input mechanisms comprise a non-numeric sequence of buttons to be pressed on the keyfob.
 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the security system receives user input identifying the keyfob to the security system.
 3. The system of claim 1 wherein the keyfob transmits an identifying signal to the security system.
 4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first user input mechanism includes a disarm button, and wherein the action associated with the first user input mechanism includes disarming the security system.
 5. The system of claim 1 wherein, responsive to the keyfob determining that the sequence of user input mechanisms fails to correspond to the valid user pass code, the keyfob fails to transmit the signal to the security system with the instructions to execute the action.
 6. The system of claim 1 wherein the keyfob includes at least one audio or visual feedback mechanism that activates responsive to the valid correspondence between the sequence of user input mechanisms and the valid user pass code and transmission of the signal to the security system with the instructions to execute the action.
 7. A method comprising: a security system identifying a keyfob; the security system receiving user input identifying a valid user pass code; the security system transmitting the valid user pass code to the keyfob; the keyfob saving the valid user pass code; the keyfob receiving user input identifying a first user input mechanism; the keyfob receiving user input identifying a sequence of user input mechanisms; the keyfob determining whether the sequence of user input mechanisms corresponds to the valid user pass code; and responsive to a valid correspondence between the sequence of user input mechanisms and the valid user pass code, the keyfob transmitting a signal to the security system with instructions to execute an action associated with the first user input mechanism, wherein the valid user pass code and the sequence of user input mechanisms comprise a non-numeric sequence of buttons to be pressed on the keyfob.
 8. The method of claim 7 wherein the security system identifying the keyfob includes the security system receiving user input identifying the keyfob to the security system.
 9. The method of claim 7 wherein the security system identifying the keyfob includes the keyfob transmitting an identifying signal to the security system.
 10. The method of claim 7 wherein the keyfob receiving user input identifying the first user input mechanism includes the keyfob receiving user input identifying a disarm button, and wherein the keyfob transmitting the signal to the security system with the instructions to execute the action associated with the first user input mechanism includes the keyfob transmitting a signal to the security system with instructions to disarm the security system.
 11. The method of claim 7 further comprising, responsive to the keyfob determining that the sequence of user input mechanisms fails to correspond to the valid user pass code, the keyfob failing to transmit the signal to the security system with the instructions to execute the action.
 12. The method of claim 7 further comprising, responsive to the valid correspondence between the sequence of user input mechanisms and the valid user pass code and transmission of the signal to the security system with the instructions to execute the action, the keyfob activating at least one audio or visual feedback mechanism on the keyfob.
 13. A keyfob comprising: a wireless transceiver; a memory device; a user interface device; a programmable processor; and executable control software stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein the memory device stores a valid user pass code, wherein the user interface device receives user input identifying a first user input mechanism of the user interface device, wherein the user interface device receives user input identifying a sequence of user input mechanisms of the user interface device, wherein the programmable processor and the executable control software compare the valid user pass code stored in the memory device with the sequence of user input mechanisms, wherein, responsive to the valid user pass code matching the sequence of user input mechanisms, the programmable processor and the executable control software transmit a signal to a security system, via the wireless transceiver, with instructions to execute an action associated with the first user input mechanism, and wherein the valid user pass code and the sequence of user input mechanisms comprise a non-numeric sequence of buttons to be pressed on the keyfob.
 14. The keyfob of claim 13 wherein the programmable processor and the executable control software transmit an identifying signal to the security system, via the wireless transceiver, to identify the keyfob to the security system.
 15. The keyfob of claim 13 wherein the programmable processor and the executable control software receive from the security system, via the wireless transceiver, the valid user pass code to store in the memory device.
 16. The keyfob of claim 13 wherein the first user input mechanism includes a disarm button.
 17. The keyfob of claim 16 wherein the action associated with the first user input mechanism includes disarming the security system.
 18. The keyfob of claim 13 wherein, responsive to the valid user pass code failing to match the sequence of user input mechanisms, the keyfob fails to transmit the signal to the security system with the instructions to execute the action.
 19. The keyfob of claim 13 further comprising an audio feedback mechanism, wherein, responsive to the valid user pass code matching the sequence of user input mechanisms and transmission of the signal to the security system with the instructions to execute the action, the programmable processor and the executable control software activate the audio feedback mechanism.
 20. The keyfob of claim 13 further comprising a visual feedback mechanism, wherein, responsive to the valid user pass code matching the sequence of user input mechanisms and transmission of the signal to the security system with the instructions to execute the action, the programmable processor and the executable control software activate the visual feedback mechanism. 